Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-27
RoLD sWINDLERs.
roehods OF the New York Con-
4aAance uen.of FiftY Years ago.

nehOdn Of the New hOTN Cv"
/ 6aaencc men:cf fifty Years Ago.
II doubt If the confidence man OF the
urueent day could hold his own against
Ss sharper Of fifty years ago, said an
"A New Y Yorker, s'In those days the
uuortunities for open swindling were
Psnter than now, and the methods
nployed were far more tricky. Who
Iould think Of comparing the modern
snoo steerer to the sleek and suave
nock auctioneer, for example? he was
hs pest Of the dry goods merchants OF
ldon times. His meth DDS were open
nouah. but wonderfully successful,
.overtheless. One of the most obnoX-
- Of these pests had his store at the
Sorner Of Wall and Pearl streets. A red
-. such as autioneers display, could
kIvsys be seen flying over the entrance
q his place Of business. Several we'll
lreesed men promenaded the sidewalk
= front. awaiting the first chance
10 ruin in" an unsophisticated passer-
|by, When this had been accomplished
'fhey would enter with their victim and
bommsnoe bidding against him until the
hrticles for sale had been run up to
mir price. The customer was generally
swindled by substituting goods OF an in
1oeior quality for those actually dis
|n1ayed for sale. The sawdust man sub
euuently used the same method in
|psrpetrating his cheats. / remember
e incident which happened there
(which will show how shrewd these men
we're, A merchant came from Virginia
I 70 lay in . supply of dry goods. He
4 lohanced to wander past this mock aue-
4 )tioneer's establishment and was induced
10 enter. In his notebook he had
marked down every article he desired.
A. he was referring to it one OF the
|oharpers attached to the place looked
ever his shoulders and took down a copy
q the list. Other attaches of the place
/ were dispatched to neighboring stores to
purchase the required article, while
The gentlemanly fellow who had
| furnished them with the list
! kept the victim engaged in conversation.
Finally the auctIoneer mounted the
rostrum and, to the surprise of the mer-
chant, commenced to call off the very
| articles he required. He was more as.
. tonished to find the prices so cheap.
| Before he left the place he had pur-
chased everything he wished, and or
dered them to the store of his New
| York agents. Messrs. Mygatt & Conk-
ling. Here the goods were unpacked.
! and il was found that the variest trash
I had been substituted for the articles
fdisplayed at the auction sale. Through
Nr. Conkling's efforts some of the
vmoney was afterward recovered.
"Another famous mock auctioneer
! had an establishment at the corner OF
Pine and Pearl streets. A gentle
man entered his store one day
and purchased watch for one hundred
/ dollars. Afterward he showed it to Mr..
eamuel Brown, of Samuel Brown &
Co., remarking that he had made q
great bargain. Mr.. Brown informed
the gentleman that he had been
] swindled, and that il he would go with
him the following Monday lit being
Saturday, to the place where he made
4 the purchase, he would try to recover
the money. 1t was agreed. On Sunday
q the gentleman was in the reading
room Of the hotel where he was stop.
ping an elderly gentleman approached
him and engaged him in conversl ton.
The merchant incidentally spoke of the
watch he had purchased, remarking
that he feared he had been swindled.
Let me look at it, said the other. The
watch was produced and examined,
whereupcn the elder man said
'If you think that the watch is
worth one hundred dollars, you
can sell it to me for that price," The
bargain was clinched, and the merchant
pocketed the money. Not long after
ward walk was proposed to site up.
town, where at that time an extensive
view could be had of Long Island Sound
While they were admiring the prospect
. large, imposipg-looking man came
forward and accosted the other. A gen.
eral conversation followed, during which
the stranger spoke of wonderful safe
he was about to have patented.
"sHere, he continued, lis the model.
"He took from his pocket small
iron safe, which he opened with O
spring. A small roll of paper fell out
apparently, he had not noticed this oe-
laurence, for he turned around aud bet
s comrade one hundred dollars thai
Asre was coil Of paper in the safe.
Bet him? urged the merchant, as
pointed slyly to the roll of paper on
| ground.
Very we'll. / will then, replied the
pr. i have just Sl00 in my pocket
10 be began fumbling in hls pocket,
could find no money. "Oh! l re.
mber! bought a watch from you this
llofning. just lend me that 500 until
I'VE reach the hotel The merchant
complied and was made stakeholder.
When the money had been put up the
stranger nonchalantly took the safe from
his pocket, touched the spring and be.
hold roll of paper dropped into his
| hand.
= How did you do it?' exclaimed the
merchant in astonishment. "That is
u4ha,seeret l intend to have patented, "
gNp1ied the stranger. as he coolly pock-
eted the money and walked away. 1t is
needless to say that the merchant never
snw his one hundred dollars. 1t was a
neat piece Of swindling, and originated
In the very mock auction shop where
the merchant had purchased the watch,
1t appears that the proprietors had
found out that an Investigation was to
be had and resorted to this device TO
escape trouble. IN. Y. Mail and Ex.
press.